difficulty locating pins with pick and detecting pin state

[rakemaster]

I agree with the people who say you're on the right track and to
stick with what your doing. Picking takes practice, what your
doing now. When you get to 5 pins, you'll be a good picker.

Rakemaster

[lplink]

Note the qualification in my previous message: "so other than testing for binding pins, each pin is manipulated only once."
Anyway, let me ask differently then: after picking a simple lock (in a particular direction) and learning the order in which the pins set, how reliably can an experienced picker then pick the lock again (in the same direction again), manipulating each pin only once on the second picking (assuming he memorized or wrote down the order)?

[DaDave]

Something that might make it much easier is learning to vary your tension.

Heavy tension is useful when finding binding pins. With extra tension, it becomes very difficult to overset an already set pin. This lets you prod around in there much more safely. But heavy tension makes it much easier to overset a binding pin when you're attempting to set it.

Light tension makes it much easier to overset an already set pin, but, with a light touch, it becomes very easy to feel when you set a binding pin.

So the trick is to vary your tension. Slightly heavier tension when feeling for the binding pin, lighter when you're setting it. Once I started doing this, my success rate skyrocketed. I go through my set of practice locks (Master locks of various types, including a couple of Contractor-grade and a couple of those oh-so-small channelled disk locks) at about 10-20 seconds each. Of course, I'm familiar with them, so that helps a little.

Now, I'm not talking about a lot of variance here. The light tension should be just barely enough to keep a set pin set. You shouldn't even really feel that the binding pin is binding. You'll just feel a nice click when it sets (you'll need to learn to use lighter force with the pick when you do this). The heavy tension is probably close to what you're using now, if you've been tailoring your tension to make it easy to find binding pins. Maybe just a little higher, to safeguard the already set pins.

To get a feel for the light tension, you can set one pin, then let off tension until it drops. Do that a few dozen times, and you should be able to let off tension until just before it drops. You're looking for something around that much pressure when setting the binding pins.

I think this will also help stop you interfering with other pins when you're setting a binding pin. The non-binding pins don't care, and the set pins won't 'feel' the feather touch you're using to bind the one you're working on.

Summary: increase pressure a bit, feel for binding pin. Once you find the binding pin, get under it, lower tension, lift gently to set. Increase pressure again to feel for the next binding pin.

[digital_blue]

Note the qualification in my previous message: "so other than testing for binding pins, each pin is manipulated only once."
Anyway, let me ask differently then: after picking a simple lock (in a particular direction) and learning the order in which the pins set, how reliably can an experienced picker then pick the lock again (in the same direction again), manipulating each pin only once on the second picking (assuming he memorized or wrote down the order)?

Once you've picked the lock once, if you are paying attention, it should be pretty darned quick the second time. This is assuming it is a relatively simple lock, like your run of the mill Kwikset. Realy what we're talking about here is elimating the need to look for the pin that is binding. Your pretty much know the "combination" at that point. In otherwords, if you tell me up front that the pins will set in 12345 order, I should make pretty short work of that lock. The time taken picking is all in feeling out the pins and searching for the binding one. Take away that step and you take away most of the challenge.

That is why, after picking a lock a couple/few times consecutively I like to put it down and pick up a different lock all together. If you have been spending all your time on the same lock, I would strongly urge you to go get yourself another lock or two. The last thing you want to do is become a master at picking that lock and never get to learn how to pick a lock.

db

[Guesss]

I agree totally with D_B. when i picked my first lock i learned how to pick it withe every pick and rake i have. (which is limited) and i could pick it with all of them and could almost do it behind my back. (just kidding i didn't try that it was a dead bolt.) but then i tried a diff lock a i was in for a shock when i couldn't just breath it open. it was then i leaned that i leaned how to pick that lock and not a lock. since then i have bought multiple locks and do the same concept that DB does. rotate locks although i am starting to memorize all these locks so i think i am goign to have to start reaching in the drawr and pick the locks with out ever knowing which one it is. also i think it might be time to switch some pins around but i think i am goingto wait till i order varjeal's lock.

[vector40]

Something that might make it much easier is learning to vary your tension.

...

*boggle*

Dave, that post was the most helpful thing I've read since I started picking. It seems absurd that I've never heard that said, and maybe I have, but never like that; my picking has quadrupled in effectiveness and my general comfortabliity when manual picking has skyrocketed.

I humbly and formally submit my request to bear your children. <3